Acadia National Park

Hello all, I hope this finds you all well. As you have probably seen from my Instagram pictures, I am visiting Acadia National Park in Maine. I am always thankful to Teddy Roosevelt for recognizing that National Parks are a necessity not just a nice to have. I appreciate that he sought to save large tracts of land that contain amazing landscapes and fill us with wonder. For me, nature is where I find God. Nature makes me understand that I am connected to something bigger than myself and can be moved to tears at the grandeur of a particular landscape that makes me know that a higher power exists. The rocky coast of Maine has always been a favorite area of mine.

Mt. Desert Island is the area Acadia National Park resides and evidently Teddy Roosevelt had vacationed there as a child and would visit the area to hike as an adult. I love the beauty of the rocky coastline and wonderfully well maintained hiking paths throughout the park. I went up to the top of Cadillac Mountain known for being the first place that the sun touches at sunrise in the United States during certain times of the year. I enjoyed the vistas over looking the harbor.

John D Rockefeller Jr. and his family built 45 miles of carriage roads in Acadia National Park that were designated as motor free byways throughout the mountains to enjoy the natural beauty of this area. Today you can walk, ride your bicycle or take a horse drawn carriage during the good weather months and cross country skiing and limited snowmobiling in the winter time. I walked along the Parkman Mountain Carriage Road. The walk was a steady incline the whole way up the mountain but was made easy by its gentle slopes and masterful use of switchbacks. I found two waterfalls on this mountain walk.

Over the weekend on a different day, I walked around Jordan Pond. A well maintained 3.3 mile trail that hugged the pond. The first .3 of a mile was a stone dust path which then turned into a log pathway provided by the National Park Service.

After about a mile the terrain turned to big boulders for an eighth of a mile, then turning once again to a stone dust path. I was able to enjoy a loon (one of the prettiest birds I had ever seen) nesting and a green frog chilling in the sun posing for pictures. Jordan Pond also has the Jordan Pond House where the restaurant hosts high tea and they make great pop overs. The restaurant also serves a good lunches. One the last day I walked along on coast line trail to Thunderhole enjoying the ocean in all its glory. This year (2016) is the 100th anniversary of Acadia National Park. If you find yourself in New England, plan to visit Acadia National Park and all it’s beauty.

Margaret Webster

What happens when an upbeat, sociable, single, empty nester in midlife, outdoor enthusiast, critter gal, science geek, history buff, treasure hunter with an addiction to brown signs and the wanderlust, embarks on a 4 month road trip in her Chevy pickup truck, loaded with a tent, kayak, bicycle, 5 changes of clothes, her laptop, and cell phone, by herself, that essentially turned into a fulltime lifestyle?

7 Comments

Leo Chomen on July 6, 2016 at 11:09 am

Many good memories of Acadia and Bar Harbor. Thunder hole, what used to be called Bar Harbor bars, roadside stands with lobster and fishing on a boat called the Catherine Ann. Bar Harbor bars were actually ice cream sandwiches that were delicious and only manufactured during the summer. Don’t think they have them anymore. Wish I had the time for your adventures

Hey Margaret, I read your reply to my email on the RV rental site. Hmmm……Wow….. Amazing……What more could I possibly say….. my Acadia ’94 trip introduced me to such a wonderful place at just the perfect time in my life. And, Thank You so much for the “writer” compliment…… AND, I see that your “wanderlust” has also taken you to so many places and has given you stories to tell of so many interesting people. I am so curious about the Azores, and what was the allure of that place for you. Just Another WanderLust Sometime Traveler………Randall